This invention is generally directed to improvements to a novel plastic carrier device for carrying containers such as bottles, cans and the like. More particularly, the invention contemplates improvements to a novel plastic carrier device which includes two container carrying portions that can be stretched over the containers and further includes a continuous joined portion between the two container carrying portions, such joined portion being formed by welding or bonding the top margins of the container engaging portions together.
The majority of container carriers today are preferably formed from a plastic material due to the ease and lower cost of manufacturing and the strength of the material. The carriers have a plurality of bands which define apertures therein, each of which holds a single container therein. To apply the carrier to the containers, the bands of the carrier are stretched over the containers by a jaw stretching machine.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/489,339 filed on Jun. 12, 1995 and entitled "Top Lift Container Carrier With Extendable Handle", discloses such a carrier. The plastic carrier has two container engaging portions which are joined to each other along adjacent edges by a discontinuous weld or joined portion. Each container engaging portion has a plurality of bands which define apertures therein, each of which holds a single container to form a package. To apply the carrier to the containers, the bands of the carrier are stretched over the containers by a jaw stretching machine. Because the stretching forces on traditional jaw stretching machines are high, the joined portion of the carrier has a tendency to peel at the edges of the joined portion.
In addition, the carrier disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/489,339 is provided with a plurality of cutouts which interrupt the length of the joined portion to aid in permitting the carrier to be stretched over the containers. The cutouts contract longitudinally when the carrier is stretched laterally over the containers. Since the joined portion is discontinuous along its length, when a line of carriers, before they are separated into individual carriers, are wound on a reel or a roll, the edges of the cutouts tend to interlock with each other which makes the handling of the carriers difficult.
The present invention presents a novel carrier device which is intended to present several improvements to the carrier disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/489,339 as well as to present several other advantages.